Cemeteries of Pleasanton and Dublin, California

How to use this book

Master index to surnames

Pleasanton Memorial Gardens Cemetery

Introduction

Gravestones listed by location

The 23 earliest recorded deeds

Record of deeds and burials

Lot Number vs. Section-Row conversion table

St. Augustine's Catholic Cemetery

Introduction

Gravestones listed by location

Crypt blocks

Dublin Cemetery

Introduction

Gravestones listed by location

Stones present in Dublin Cemetery in 1935, now missing

Family connections not apparent from gravestone inscriptions

Deceased Dublin Cemetery, Inc. members for whom no marker was found

Records of the Graham Mortuary, Pleasanton, 1904-1923

As a young boy, I was completely fascinated by the mysteries hidden in the names, dates, and epitaphs etched into the hard stone of the grave markers. The stories found there were those of the men, women and children who lived and died during those hard times. They were the stories of death from mine accidents, diseases, and falls from horses and wagons. These stories were lovingly told in the few lines of prose carved into a simple piece of wood or a more elaborate piece of marble or granite.

Our valley's history is not disconnected from that of the goldfields, for we have in this area's past, men and women who also came to California to find their riches in the mines of the Sierra Nevada. Though some prospered not from their own labor in the mines but from providing goods and services to those who did, this in no way diminishes their involvement in that part of California's history.

The history of our valley starts with Agostin Bernal and Antonio Sunol, whose families are represented among the gravestones in the two cemeteries serving the town of Pleasanton. This history then weaves through the lives and families of the Castersons, the Oxsens, the Andrades, the Schweens, and many others, and includes at least one "49-er" in the person of Charles Garthwaite.

Since my first visit to a historical cemetery so many years ago, I've continued to be interested in the stories of people's lives that can be found among the grave markers. Whether it's been in California, Costa Rica, or Ireland, I've always taken the time to stroll through cemeteries I've come across in my travels.

With the production of this booklet, the Livermore-Amador Genealogical Society invites you to explore the grand history of the communities of Pleasanton and Dublin. You are encouraged to take the time to find and read the epitaphs of Charlie Bilz, Mamie Andrade, and Armida Lane. This booklet is meant to be your guide as you search through the cemeteries for traces of your own family's history or that of another founding family of Pleasanton and Dublin.

Paul Ferreira is Supervising Naturalist with the East Bay Regional Park District, assigned to Sunol Regional Wilderness, ten miles south of Pleasanton.

Mr. Ferreira leads groups of interested persons through the cemeteries of Pleasanton, lecturing on the history of the area and the people. During these lectures he also gives instructions on tombstone rubbing. Participants are encouraged to do their own rubbings. The Society is grateful for Mr. Ferreira's interest and we thank him for his preface to "Cemeteries of Pleasanton and Dublin."

Last modified: 11dec96.2240